Grain-free kitten and cat foods are the hype currently, and if your kitten has a sensitive stomach, a grain-free kitten food could help get everything under control. But while grain-free cat foods can be easy to find, finding a grain-free kitten food can be a bit more challenging.
We tracked down and created reviews of the best grain-free kitten foods out there. We also developed a comprehensive buyer’s guide to help you get your kitten on the right food the first time.
A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Kitten Food
A great mix of price and quality
Outstanding minimum protein percent
Only high-quality ingredients
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Best Value
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Kitten Food
Higher protein percent
Affordable
Easy on digestion
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Premium Choice
Smalls Fresh Cat Food Subscription
Custom plans for different needs
High in protein
Made with natural ingredients
Click to Save 40% Use code: PetKeen2023
Best Wet Food
Wellness Complete Kitten Formula
Tons of protein for a wet food
Great for kitten health
Kittens love to eat it
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Halo Wild Salmon Kitten Food
Higher fiber percent
Great for sensitive stomachs
GMO-free
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The 11 Best Grain-Free Kitten Foods
When you’re looking for the overall best grain-free kitten food, you can start and end your search with Blue Buffalo’s Wilderness Kitten recipe. It’s an outstanding mix of price and quality, giving your kitten all the nutrients that they need to thrive without draining your bank account.
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It meets basic requirements and is packed full of LifeSource bits that add even more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to help your kitten thrive. Blue only uses the highest-quality ingredients out there, and it has a Blue Wilderness Cat food that your kitten can grow into without overhauling their diet.
The only other thing that we’d like to see from this food is a higher fiber percentage, but that’s a minor concern unless your kitten has an extremely sensitive stomach. For most kittens, this is an outstanding choice.
Pros
A great mix of price and quality
Outstanding minimum protein percent
LifeSource Bits add more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals
Only high-quality ingredients
Blue offers the next level of food that they can grow into
Cons
Lower fiber percent
- Wellness CORE Grain-Free Kitten Food — Best Value Check Latest Price
Food type Dry
Size 2 or 5 pounds
Primary protein Turkey and chicken
Crude protein percent 45
Maximum fiber percent 3
If you’re looking for grain-free kitten food but don’t have a ton of money to spend, Wellness CORE Grain-Free Kitten food might be precisely what you need. It has tons of protein and is packed with DHA omega-3 fatty acids in addition to tons of other nutrients.
A great mix of price and quality
Outstanding minimum protein percent
LifeSource Bits add more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals
Only high-quality ingredients
Blue offers the next level of food that they can grow into
- A great mix of price and quality
- Outstanding minimum protein percent
- LifeSource Bits add more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals
- Only high-quality ingredients
- Blue offers the next level of food that they can grow into
Lower fiber percent
- Lower fiber percent
Compared to other grain-free kitten foods, Wellness CORE is incredibly easy to digest, which makes it a great choice if your cat has a sensitive stomach. However, it doesn’t have a higher fiber percentage, and it’s not a single protein source.
Still, it’s available for a great price, and when you pair that with everything else it offers, it’s not hard to see how it is the best grain-free kitten food for the money.
Pros
Higher protein percent
Affordable
Salmon oil provides DHA omega-3 fatty acids
Easy on digestion
Cons
Is not a single protein source
Lower fiber percent
- Smalls Fresh Cat Food Subscription — Premium Choice Click Here & Use Code Petkeen2023 to Save 40% on Smalls + Get Free Shipping & Treats!
Food type Fresh
Size 11.5-ounce packages
Primary protein Cow
Crude protein percent 15
Maximum fiber percent 1
If you’re interested in getting kitten food delivered to your door, you might want to try out Smalls. Smalls is a cat food delivery service specializing in grain-free, fresh, cooked cat meals and freeze-dried raw food.
Higher protein percent
Affordable
Salmon oil provides DHA omega-3 fatty acids
Easy on digestion
- Higher protein percent
- Affordable
- Salmon oil provides DHA omega-3 fatty acids
- Easy on digestion
Is not a single protein source
Lower fiber percent
- Is not a single protein source
- Lower fiber percent
When you visit Smalls’ website, you fill out a questionnaire with information about your cat’s age, build, and favorite meats. You are then recommended a meal type—for example, “fresh plan”—based on your cat’s specific needs. Smalls caters to cats of all ages, shapes, and sizes, including kittens.
You’re offered three protein types for both the fresh and freeze-dried plans that you can choose based on your kitten’s preferences. Along with your chosen meat, the meals are made up of a variety of vegetables, are high in protein, contain a moderate amount of fat, and are free of preservatives. Smalls also offers its own brand of kibble for cats transitioning out of a kibble diet and a range of treats.
Many users have shared positive reviews, mentioning that their cat’s coat seems shinier and that they have more energy. Others have commented that the Smalls diet was beneficial for their cats with digestive issues and helped to reduce begging behavior and cravings for treats.
In terms of what users are less keen on, some have commented that they’ve had a negative experience with Smalls’ customer service when experiencing payment and subscription issues. Others have mentioned that although their cats liked the food, they had trouble getting the food out of the packaging.
To sum up, Smalls is a growing cat food company that many cat parents (and cats, of course) seem to have had a positive experience with. We especially appreciate how Smalls caters to all cats, regardless of age, size, or preference.
Pros
Custom plans for different needs
High in protein
Made with natural ingredients
Choice of proteins
Preservative-free
Cons
Some have experienced customer service issues
Awkward packaging
While dry cat food is a great choice, there’s nothing wrong with choosing a wet cat food as the primary source of food for your kitten. If that’s the route you’re taking, it’s hard to beat what Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula offers.
Custom plans for different needs
High in protein
Made with natural ingredients
Choice of proteins
Preservative-free
- Custom plans for different needs
- High in protein
- Made with natural ingredients
- Choice of proteins
- Preservative-free
Some have experienced customer service issues
Awkward packaging
- Some have experienced customer service issues
- Awkward packaging
It provides all the nutrients for your kitten to thrive, and it has tons of protein for a wet food. Just keep in mind that switching your kitten to a wet food diet has two major implications. First, it’s more expensive than dry kibble.
Second, switching a kitten to a wet food early in life can lead to them becoming a picky eater. So, if you decide to switch them to dry food later, you might find that you can’t get your cat to cooperate. If you’re planning on switching your kitten to a wet food diet, ensure that you’re ready for a potentially permanent meal change.
Pros
Tons of protein for a wet food
Great for kitten health
Kittens love to eat it
Tons of nutrients
Cons
Expensive
Potential to create a picky eater
If you have a kitten with a sensitive stomach, you can do more than just switch them to a grain-free diet. You can also choose a protein that’s easier on their stomach. That’s exactly what Halo Holistic Wild Salmon & Whitefish offers.
Tons of protein for a wet food
Great for kitten health
Kittens love to eat it
Tons of nutrients
- Tons of protein for a wet food
- Great for kitten health
- Kittens love to eat it
- Tons of nutrients
Expensive
Potential to create a picky eater
- Expensive
- Potential to create a picky eater
But not only does it have a novel protein and a grain-free formula, but the higher fiber percent also helps out a kitten’s digestive tract. If your kitten has a sensitive stomach, there might not be a better food choice than Halo Holistic Wild Salmon & Whitefish.
However, there are two drawbacks to this kitten food. First, its crude protein percent is significantly lower than what most kitten foods offer. Second, it’s expensive. But if it helps your kitten keep their food down, it’s a great choice.
Pros
Higher fiber percent
Great for sensitive stomachs
GMO-free
Tons of healthy nutrients
Cons
Low protein percent
Expensive
If you’re not too worried about how much your kitten food costs, Nulo Freestyle Chicken & Cod is an outstanding choice. It has the perfect amount of protein for your kitten and plenty of fiber, and there are tons of nutrients to help your kitten thrive.
Higher fiber percent
Great for sensitive stomachs
GMO-free
Tons of healthy nutrients
- Higher fiber percent
- Great for sensitive stomachs
- GMO-free
- Tons of healthy nutrients
Low protein percent
Expensive
- Low protein percent
- Expensive
Food type Dry
Size 2, 4, and 14 pounds
Primary protein Chicken
Crude protein percent 40
Maximum fiber percent 4
Nulo uses high-quality ingredients when making this cat food, which gives your cat the best of the best with every bite. However, this is a more expensive option, though you can help offset the cost by buying in bulk. It’s still going to be more expensive than many other foods, but it drops the cost per meal by quite a bit.
Pros
Good protein percent
Decent fiber percent
Large size options
Tons of helpful nutrients
Only high-quality ingredients
Cons
Expensive
Purina Pro Plan Savor Classic Chicken is an outstanding wet food option for kittens. It provides tons of helpful nutrients, and the overall crude protein content is more than enough for a kitten.
Good protein percent
Decent fiber percent
Large size options
Tons of helpful nutrients
Only high-quality ingredients
- Good protein percent
- Decent fiber percent
- Large size options
- Tons of helpful nutrients
- Only high-quality ingredients
Expensive
- Expensive
Moreover, there’s plenty of fiber to help your kitten’s digestive tract, and it goes a long way toward helping them feel full. But what matters more is the fact that Purina doesn’t use any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives in their recipe, which means better nutrition for your kitten.
Still, it is an expensive cat food option, and it does run the risk of getting your kitten hooked on wet foods. But if you’re fine with the price and just want to give them great food, it’s ideal.
Pros
Great protein percent for a wet food
Tons of helpful nutrients
Good fiber percent for a wet food
No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
Cons
Expensive
- Whole Earth Farms Grain-free Kitten Food Check Latest Price
Food type Dry
Size 2.5, 5, or 10 pounds
Primary protein Chicken and turkey
Crude protein percent 36
Maximum fiber percent 5
When you’re shopping for dry cat food and want an option that you won’t have to keep reordering, Whole Earth Farms has an outstanding option with their 10-pound bag. Not only does it have all the nutrients that your cat needs, but it also has a high fiber percentage to help aid their digestion.
Great protein percent for a wet food
Tons of helpful nutrients
Good fiber percent for a wet food
No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Great protein percent for a wet food
- Tons of helpful nutrients
- Good fiber percent for a wet food
- No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
Moreover, it’s extremely affordable, and when you pair that with the larger bag options, your savings only go higher. Still, it’s not a single-protein-source food, which can upset some kitten’s stomachs, and the crude protein percent leaves a little to be desired.
It’s enough to keep them alive and healthy, but ideally, we’d like more protein in each serving.
Pros
Good fiber percent
Affordable
Large bag options available
Meets all basic nutrition requirements
Cons
Not a single-protein-source food
Lower protein percent
Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe is the most expensive per-meal kitten food on this list. But it uses the highest-quality ingredients out there. There are tons of protein in each serving, and the company only uses cage-free poultry.
Good fiber percent
Affordable
Large bag options available
Meets all basic nutrition requirements
- Good fiber percent
- Affordable
- Large bag options available
- Meets all basic nutrition requirements
Not a single-protein-source food
Lower protein percent
- Not a single-protein-source food
- Lower protein percent
Additionally, there are tons of probiotics, omegas, and other nutrients that boost your kitten’s immune system, digestive health, and urinary health. While we’d prefer a slightly higher fiber content, that’s not a huge concern.
With Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe, it comes down to the price. It’s an extremely expensive option, but it’s also great for your kitten. If you can afford it, it’s an outstanding food.
Pros
Great protein percent
Only high-quality ingredients
Tons of probiotics, omegas, and other nutrients
Cage-free poultry only
Cons
Expensive
Low fiber percent
Instead of the classic chicken recipe, Earthborn opted for tuna in its Holistic Monterey Medley grain-free wet cat food. That’s easier on your kitten’s digestive tract, but not as easy as salmon or whitefish.
Great protein percent
Only high-quality ingredients
Tons of probiotics, omegas, and other nutrients
Cage-free poultry only
- Great protein percent
- Only high-quality ingredients
- Tons of probiotics, omegas, and other nutrients
- Cage-free poultry only
Expensive
Low fiber percent
- Expensive
- Low fiber percent
Still, there’s plenty of crude protein, especially for wet cat food. While this food is a great kitten food, it’s good for adult cats too. This is both a pro and a con. While you don’t have to switch your kitten to a new food any time soon, it’s not a kitten-specific formula. It’s also expensive.
Pros
Great protein percent for a wet food
Outstanding option for sensitive stomachs
Good fiber percent for a wet food
Both a kitten and cat food
Cons
Expensive
Not kitten specific
- Merrick Purrfect Bistro Grain-free Kitten Food Check Latest Price
Food type Dry
Size 4 or 7 pounds
Primary protein Chicken
Crude protein percent 41
Maximum fiber percent 2.5
The Merrick Purrfect Bistro is a dry kitten food that has high-quality ingredients. What sets this food apart from the pack, however, is the price. It’s also an affordable kitten food and has plenty of protein to help your kitten grow.
Great protein percent for a wet food
Outstanding option for sensitive stomachs
Good fiber percent for a wet food
Both a kitten and cat food
- Great protein percent for a wet food
- Outstanding option for sensitive stomachs
- Good fiber percent for a wet food
- Both a kitten and cat food
Expensive
Not kitten specific
- Expensive
- Not kitten specific
That said, it’s not a single-protein-source kitten food. Also, the fiber percentage is among the lowest of many dry cat foods available. If your kitten doesn’t have a sensitive stomach, it’s not a huge deal, but if they do, Merrick Purrfect Bistro doesn’t do much to help.
Pros
Good crude protein percent
Affordable option
Only high-quality ingredients
Great for your kitten’s health
Cons
Is not a single protein source
Lower fiber percent
Good crude protein percent
Affordable option
Only high-quality ingredients
Great for your kitten’s health
- Good crude protein percent
- Affordable option
- Only high-quality ingredients
- Great for your kitten’s health
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Grain-free Kitten Food
If you’re confused about which grain-free kitten food is right for you even after reading the reviews, you’re not alone. We created this comprehensive buyer’s guide to walk you through everything that you need to know to get your kitten on the right food the first time.
Why Would You Want Grain-Free Kitten Food?
There’s a great deal of debate out there about grain-free cat and kitten foods, but the truth is that if your cat has a sensitive stomach, then there’s no debate: Grain-free kitten foods can help settle their stomachs.
While it’s relatively rare for a modern cat or kitten to have a grain allergy, those do exist. If that’s the case, you certainly need a grain-free cat or kitten food.
Switching Kitten Foods
If you’re constantly switching your kitten’s food, then there’s a good chance that you’re not giving their stomach and digestive system time to adapt to the new food. When that happens, your kitten can have the right food but still experience digestive distress.
Take the time to switch their food slowly, and give them a few weeks to adjust to their new food before ruling it out. These few weeks might be all it takes to get your kitten’s stomach to settle down, and you’ll be saved from trying food after food.
Regardless of whether you feed your cat dry or wet food, you need a bowl that is sure to keep the mess contained—you can do just that with the Hepper Nom Nom Bowl.
This product is designed with your cat’s comfort in mind. The whisker-friendly bowls are low and wide to prevent whisker fatigue, and the wide catch tray ensures that all food stays exactly where it should—inside the bowl.
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
How Much Protein Does Your Kitten Need?
While it’s fine for most cat foods to have around 30% crude protein, there’s a reason that kitten food has more. As kittens grow into full cats, they need protein to support muscle and bone growth, and they also tend to be quite active.
This is why kitten food comes packed with extra protein. When selecting a kitten food, you want at least 40% crude protein for a dry food and at least 10% crude protein for a wet food.
While kittens can survive off less, all that protein will give them the energy that they need to thrive on a daily basis.
Conclusion
There’s a reason that Blue Buffalo Wilderness Kitten food is our top choice of grain-free kitten food. It’s an outstanding mix of price and quality, and there’s a good chance that it’s exactly what your kitten needs.
If you’re looking for an even more affordable option, Wellness CORE Grain-Free can get the job done and save you money. What’s important is that you order the new food as soon as possible to get your kitten settled into their new routine.
Our premium choice goes to Smalls for their unbeatable ingredient list, a menu that can grow and cater your kittens needs at every life stage, and is of course, grain-free!
- Related read: 7 Best Kitten Foods for Sensitive Stomachs
Featured Image Credit: DanyVr, Shutterstock
